By William Wan
Washington Post
In a sign of just how tense the South China Sea has become, diplomats from Asian countries that aren’t even involved in spats over disputed territories are now jumping into regional fights in a bid to restore some calm.
The dispute over the South China Sea has been brewing in one way or another for decades, with China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan all laying competing claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to hold valuable oil and minerals.
But the tensions have escalated as China’s military has grown stronger and bolder in making its assertions. Of all the countries, China’s claim is by far the largest, covering a huge U-shaped area over the entire region.
In recent days, tensions have become particularly serious, with China and Vietnam hurling accusations and threats at each other, and with both countries backing up those threats by launching or announcing military drills in disputed waters.
On Monday, in a rare move, Singapore issued a statement on the issue, urging all parties to act with restraint and telling China to spell out its territorial claims in a precise fashion.
“We think it is in China’s own interest to clarify its claims in the South China Sea with more precision as the current ambiguity…has caused serious concerns in the international maritime community,” the Singaporean Foreign Ministry said.
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